Winegeeks

Bordeaux Clairet

Part of the greater Bordeaux appellation, and the term that applies to light wines that are too dark to be considered rosé, but spend too little time on their skins and lees to be considered a red wine. The term Clairet is a holdover from the times when most of the heavier red wines were produced to the south and east of Bordeaux, the word Clairet meaning the lighter and pale red wines that were produced in Bordeaux proper. These wines became famous in Britain, spawning the word Claret, which is now used to indicate any young red from Bordeaux.

Today the appellation Bordeaux Clairet is used to denote wines that have spent around 24 hours or less on their skins and lees during fermentation, resulting in an easy drinking wine that is best served chilled, and is generally lower in alcohol than the reds and free of tannins and astringency.